Month: May 2017

Bars, breweries, and other drinking establishments do more for the communities in which they reside than simply provide a place to drink. Sure, offering a place for a cold beer after a long day’s work is a vital service, but drinking establishments do so much more for their communities.

They provide a hub for socialization

Beer lovers know that bars can serve as the great equalizer. When you enter a bar, you’re sharing a space with other members of your community, all united for a common purpose. More so than any other public establishment, everyone is your friend when you’re drinking in a bar.

The socialization opportunities provided by drinking establishments are well-documented. Oxford University cites a study that shows how local bars make us feel more connected to our communities.

“[Researchers] found that people who have a ‘local’ that they visit regularly tend to feel more socially engaged and contented, and are more likely to trust other members of their community. They also observed that those without a local pub had significantly smaller social networks and felt less engaged with, and trusting of, their local communities,” says the University.

Local drinking establishments provide us with a way to experience some face-to-face, real-life interactions with people – as opposed to the digital interactions that have overtaken our culture. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with connecting with people online, but there really is no substitute for in-person socialization.

They provide spaces for community activism

The “pub” has a long tradition of being the place where people of action meet to formulate ideas and plans about doing good for their communities. Centuries of public drinking haven’t changed this. When it comes to organizing, promoting, and hosting community events, there’s no better place than a local drinking establishment.

These days, if you want to hold a fundraiser for a local charity or community organization, you’ll likely turn to your favorite bar or brewery for support. Not only will your fundraiser benefit from being held in a drinking establishment, but your local bar or brewery will likely be more than willing to host fundraiser that benefit their community (the uptake in business is a nice bonus, too). One of the most popular forms of community fundraising these days is the bar crawl, in which groups organize at bars and walk from bar to bar, drinking and raising money at each stop.

At Lang’s, we host many fundraisers throughout the year and support many non-profit’s through charitable donations. We also host our annual Ed Lang Memorial Scholarship Fund Singles Tournament and Car Show in the summer. The Ed Lang Memorial Fund raises funds for college bound junior bowlers through the tournament and for the RI Community Food Bank through the car show. Ask us about hosting a great fundraiser for your cause!

They provide a friendly atmosphere for the community’s pets

Drinking establishments have fast become the premier place to bring your canine friend, and pet-friendly bars and breweries are now the norm. There’s really nothing better than the ability to stop by a bar and have a drink when you’re out on your evening walk with Rex.

While many focus on human socialization as a prime benefit of bars, their role and a venue for dog socialization is just as important. Most dog experts say that it is crucial to expose your dog to people and other dogs of all shapes and sizes, in varying environments. Drinking establishments can, at times, be a little more raucous and, at times, a bit more on the chill side. You’re bound to meet people and dogs of all stripes at a bar or a brewery.

“Your dog should meet men, women, boys, girls, babies, old people, large and small people. He should meet people with sunglasses, big coats, beards, mustaches and people of all races. Your puppy should also meet dogs of all sizes and colors. He should visit many different environments – parks, pet stores, lakes, restaurants and noisy areas,” notes BarkHappy.com.

Drinking establishments provide much more than alcohol. They are vital pillars of their communities than give us a place to socialize and organize.

Here at Lang’s, we recently opened the all new Lang’s Lounge, featuring over 20 local, domestic and craft brews on tap, full bar, a Whiskey Bar with over 60 brands, specialty drinks and much more. We welcome you to come visit the new bar, check out photos of Lang’s past preserved in time under the counter top, people watch the bowlers on the lanes and make Lang’s Lounge your local hangout.

For more information on Lang’s Bowlarama parties and events, contact Dayna at 401-944-0500 or email dayna@langsbowlarama.com.

Every year families get together to catch up. But if you’ve seen the movies, then you know how boring and dreadful these events can feel. While those scenes are caricature of reality, they contain nuggets of truth.

Many people dread family reunions. Not necessarily because Aunt Kathy pinches their cheeks, but because when the family is all together there’s often nothing to do! They’re forced to engage in small talk and tediously update each other on their lives.

Follow these three tips and your family reunion will never be boring again!

Plan an Activity

Have your family reunions, up till now, been a dinner or picnic where the only activity is eating and talking? Big mistake.

Although you may be family, you might not have much in common.

Plan your reunion around a fun, casual activity, like bowling, and you’ll have a common experience to bond over. You’ll find it much easier to connect and have fun with your cousins and other relatives.

Plan toBe Proactive to Prevent Problems

We’ve all got at least one family holiday, birthday, or reunion in which one member wasn’t kept in the loop about something … that rarely ends well. BUT, when you define clear expectations for your family reunion, people arrive with an understanding. They’ll know their place and if you need their help or not.

To start, make sure you and your attendees know answers to these questions:

Who is paying for what and how much?

Who is staying where and for how long?

Who is responsible for doing what?

Plan for Success

Start with the basics. Choose a time and place that most people can get to. Remember, your primary goal is to get everyone together, so accommodate that. If only a handful can show, your event might be boring.

Food and drink should certainly be available at your family reunion gathering. If it’s not, people will be upset and “hangry”. If you let Lang’s Bowlarama help plan your party, you not only get a fun activity, but access to food, beer, and more without having to lift a finger.

Plan Your Family Fun Today!

If you’re in charge of planning your family reunion, make it count. We can help ensure it’s fun, engaging, and will have family members talking about it for months.

Lang’s has experience planning family reunions and we’d love to help. Contact Dayna (401.944.0500, dayna@langsbowlarama.com) to learn more about how we can take care of everything.

Your family reunion shouldn’t be dull! Use these simple tips and you’ll transform your familial gathering into a great memory. When you do, next year, your family will be begging to get together.